Same Sex Marriage

On June 26, 2015, the US Supreme Court ruled that the US Constitution guarantees the right for same-sex couples to marry. Many conservative groups do NOT agree with this decision. The gay marriage debate has been simmering for as long as I can remember. The four articles I have selected give information from four different perspectives including that of liberals, conservatives, homosexuals, and orthodox Jews. With so many differing opinions, one can understand why it's been so hard for the nation to come to agree on this issue.

Is it okay to not believe in gay marriage, yet at the same time support the constitutional rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness for homosexual couples? Even though most churches' beliefs conflict with marrying same-sex partners, government should not deny a person's right to their happiness; because any person, no matter race, color, sex, religion or sexual orientation, should be allowed to exercise their constitutional rights as Americans to pursue their happiness; and married gay couples should be able to have a spectrum of rights and benefits if their gay partnership is legalized.

If homosexuals were allowed the right to marry in the eyes of the government, they could take better care of their loved one by health care benefits, increased profit from lower taxes, and supporting them in sickness and in health. As Karasu says, “Studies from researchers such as Kim and McKenry (2002); Marks and Lambert, 1998; and Horwitz et al. (1996) , all support the idea that marriage is more beneficial than any other living arrangement, and there is a cumulative effect in that the longer one stays married, the more benefits

The debate on whether the constitution should be changed to allow gays/lesbians legal status, whereby the partners are protected while in the institution of marriage is a heated debated which has been ongoing in many years. There are those states whereby the rights of gays/lesbians to have legal marriages have been recognized, but in most of the states their right to legal marriage have not been recognized. This essay looks at the reasons why the American constitution should be amended to ensure that all states across the United States recognizes the rights of gays/lesbians to have legal marriages. The argument will focus on the impact that lack of legal marriages have on the gay and lesbian partners and the reasons why constitutional amendment can only be the best solution to resolve the issues of the rights for the gay community to a legal marriage.

Although same sex marriage has become well know in the most recent years it has been acknowledge as early as 35.5 years ago. In fact according to Procon.org “On May 18, 1970, two University of Minnesota students, Richard John 'Jack' Baker and James Michael McConnell applied to Hennepin County District

Same-sex marriage, a controversial social issue in the U.S. for several decades, is constantly evolving. When viewed historically, great change has happened in a short period of time, in the movement for same-sex marriage, given that until recently, no society in thousands of years has ever allowed it.

In 1993, the Hawaii Supreme Court heard the case Baher vs. Lewin, and decided that Hawaii’s ban on same-sex marriage was not permitted by the state constitution (ABC-Clio). That court transferred the case to a trial court for a final decision. Although the decision, which was to amend the state constitution to “reserve marriage for opposite-sex couples,” wasn’t made until after the Defense of Marriage Act was put into place, many people against same-sex marriage were worried Hawaii would become the first state to legalize gay marriage. Bob Barr, a Republican Georgia Representative, would then introduce the Act in May 1996 (Nelson). The bill passed the House in July of that year and the Senate that September, both with an overwhelming

Lewin took place in Hawaii. It is thought to be the first major victory for same-sex couples and marriage activists. Nina Baehr sued the state of Hawaii saying that the state was refusing to give her and her partner a marriage license, she argued this on the grounds of saying that this was equal to discrimination. Since the state had an Equal Rights Amendment, the state would need to find a compelling interest in supporting such a ban. One of the biggest impacts from this ruling was not only giving hope to same-sex couples hoping to marry but the ruling also discouraged people who hoped to keep same-sex marriage illegal. Through the Full Faith and Credit Clause this also meant that if these couples were legally married in Hawaii then their marriage had to be recognized in all other states as

In the past few years all 50 states have legalized same sex marriage. The problem is same sex marriage is still not widely accepted in this American society. When people are getting arrested because they refuse to do their job and give out gay marriage licences that means there is a problem with the way that same sex couples are being treated. Gay marriage is a major hot button issue in America right now. To allow marriage or to not allow marriage has evoked a large argument that has caused many riots and problems. Gay marriage is the right for two people of the same gender to marry. But what most people do not think about is the benefits of marriage to this community of people. Society should work harder on accepting same sex marriage because it is not just about being happy (but that is a benefit), but it is a matter of decisions over life or death, money, and the life of children.

This essay debates the issue of same sex marriage in the United States. It considers the pros and cons and examines the constitutional issues involved.

It thus prevents people from thinking that same-sex marriage makes homosexuals sinners. Marriage is a right that should be afforded to every individual whether they are gay or straight. Same-sex marriage thus helps solidify the appropriate social norm of sexual restraint and care-giving within the family. Legalizing same-sex marriages would be good for America as it would spur equality, promote family stability and validate LGBT family units as well as increase the number of children successfully adopted. Allowing gay marriage would be important in providing financial boon for both the private sector and state governments. Gay couples inject a considerable amount of money in the economy while spending on marriage

The United States of America has always been ground for controversial issues. Slavery, segregation, and individual rights are just a few of the many topics argued within the United States Supreme Court. Although all topics argued in the Supreme Court are important, one issue has stood out in more recent years. This topic is same-sex marriage. The earliest Supreme Court case regarding same-sex marriage can be dated back to 1972 with Baker v. Nelson. The most recent same-sex, Supreme Court case took place in 2015. This landmark case was Obergefell v. Hodges.

In the database, “Marriage, Same-Sex,” it states, “In the United States, the states differ greatly with respect to the ways that they treat same-sex relationships. Some states not only refuse to recognize same-sex relationships but also have passed state constitutional amendments precluding,” which shows that some states have made the situation even harder by not only not only ignoring their benefits, but making laws opposing them (Darity 620). Recognizing same sex marriage is vital for many same sex couples because not allowing marriage can be an emotional blocker between two people, and doing this sends a message to society that certain individuals either cannot commit to marriage or, perhaps, do not deserve the opportunity to marry. Equally important, because same sex couples are not acknowledged, they do not acquire many legal, financial, social, and federal advantages that marriage usually grants two people, such as benefits in tax, estate planning, government, employment, medical, death, family, housing, consumer, etc. The database, “Marriage, Same-Sex,” also declares, “same-sex couples are not entitled to the numerous federal benefits that are accorded to different-sex married couples, because the

Although they currently are not the reality is that marriage benefits should be accessible to all couples. Gay couples are unfairly denied the countless benefits enjoyed by heterosexual couples that are able to marry. For instance, they are not eligible for tax benefits, insurance benefits and are sometimes denied joint ownership of property. Furthermore, Same sex couples are even denied the right to make certain medical decisions with regards to their partner. For example, a gay couple that has been together for 25 years is not allowed to visit their partner in the hospital after visiting hours due to the fact they are not considered family. They each are considered legal strangers. A common belief among opponents of same sex marriage is that businesses would be forced to provide benefits to same sex couples. (Bidstrup, 2004) This is not necessarily the case, and many businesses already voluntarily offer marriage benefits to same sex couples as a matter of good business sense. The businesses that offer these benefits recognize the importance and invaluable support spouses make to their working partners; these companies are generally viewed as progressive and are attractive to investors

The political aspects of whether same-sex couples should be allowed to federal and government recognized marriages are a very complex issue. There are basically two sides to the political argument of whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. On one side are the liberals who feel that marriage is a civil right that should be denied based on the basis of a person's sexual orientation. On the other side you have conservatives who feel that marriage is an institution in which should only constitute one man and one woman. In this report we are going to examine how the issue of same-sex marriages are affecting our current political environment, how politics is affecting the movement for